Sequentially operated outlet valves for a pressurized container



June 7, 1966 A. WAKEMAN 3,254,677

SEQUENTIALLY OPERATED OUTLET VALVES FOR A PRESSURIZED CONTAINER Filed Nov. 15, 1962 2 Sheets-She@t 1 E11/fg l 60 June 7, 1966 A. WAKEMAN 3,254,677

, SEQUENTIALLY OPERATED OUTLET VALVES FOR A PRESSURIZED CONTAINER Filed Nov. l5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Y /17 fred Wakeman MKM HIS HTRNE YS.

United States Patent O 3,254,677 SEQUENTIALLY OPERATEI) OUTLET VALVES FOR A PRESSURIZED CONTAINER Alfred Wakeman, Durham, Coun., assignor to The Rrsdon Manufacturing Company, Naugatuck, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Nov. 15, 1962, Ser. No. 237,807 6 Claims. (Cl. 137-630.22)

This invention relates to valve actuators used on pressurized packages in which a product is dispensed from a container under the pressure of a gaseous propellant, control of the products discharge being had by means of a manually Operable valve secured to the container, Specifically, the invention relates to an improved valve actuator for such pressurized packages that is adapted to be self-sealing, that is, having provision for automatically closing off from the atmosphere the discharge orifice in the actuator except during those periods when the package is in use.

A large number of products are now sold in pressurized packages wherein the prod-uct, usually in liquid form, is discharged from its container under the superatomspheric pressure of the gaseous propellant within the container. Discharge of the product is effected by ythe manual actuation of a valve ordinarily mounted in the mouth of the container of the package. Actuation of the valve 4is had by the user applying pressure to a valve actuator that serves as a convenient device for operating the valve and which normally contains the discharge orifice through which the product is dispensed.

Despite the continu-ally increasing number of products being marketed in pressurized packages, there have been, heretofore, certain types of prod-ucts which could not be marketed in this manner. These products include those, which for one reason or another, would either clog the discharge orifice and passageways in the actuator as a result of being exposed to the atmosphere, or which are of such a nature that prolonged exposure to the atmosphere would adversely affect their quality.

The difficulty arises from the fact that in the usual pressurized package there is a substantial distance between the cut-off point in the valve and the discharge orifice in the act-uator. As a result, the passageways connecting these points are exposed to the atmosphere for long periods between successive usages of the package. Inasmuch as there is always some residue of product left within these passageways after each actuation of the valve, Iany product containing a nonvolatile ingredient that will dry out in the presence of air will clog these passageways and prevent any subsequent dispensing of the product. If the product is one that is adversely affected by prolonged exposure to the air, the residue of product left in the passageways will become contaminated due to its exposure to the atmosphere and will be dispensed Iupon the next subsequent use of the package.

The present invention, accordingly, has for its object the development of a self-sealing actuator for aerosol valves that will seal off the discharge orifice and passageways in the actuator from the atmosphere without in any way interfering with the normal actuation of the valve or use of the package. Another object of the invention is to accomplish the sealing off of the orifice and passageways in an automatic manner so as not to require specic action for this purpose on the part of the user.

Briey, and in general, the invention comprises a novel two part actuator construction in which there are a main body portion and a movable closure therefor. The main body portion is adapted to be mounted on the package in any suitable manner and, inasmuch as the overwhelming practice in the art is to mount the valve actuator at the Iupper end of a hollow stem for the valve, it is preferred to provide the main body portion with a recess to receive the valve stem. A discharge orifice is also provided in the main body portion and is communicated with the valve in any suitable way so as to provide for the dispensing of the product through the orifice whenever the valve is opened. Again, because of present practices in the art, it is preferred to accomplish this by connecting the discharge orifice with the upper end of the hollow valve stem since it is customary to pass the product through the passageway formed by the hollow valve stem.

The main body portion is, upon actuation by t-he user of the package, operative to open the valve in the container. Accordingly, the main body portion of the actuator is movable i-n a direction which serves to open the valve. If the valve is of the toggle or tilt action ty-pe the main body yis laterally movable to open the valve by tilting of the valve stem. If the valve is a vertically actuated type, the main body portion is movable in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the valve stem so that the stem may be vertically depressed to open the valve.

The closure for the main body portion is an open-ended device that is fonmed from a resilient material, such as a suitable plastic. In general shape the device is in the form of the letter U and an aperture is provided in one of the arms of the U. The open end of t-he U-shaped closure fits over the main body portion and engages two diverging surfaces thereon. As a result of the spacing of the diverging surfaces the ends of the arms are spread somewhat so as to slightly distend the closure. In this normal, slightly distended position the closure serves to seal off the discharge orifice in the main body portion from the atmosphere.

Opening of the closure is effected by applying a force to the closure in the same direction required to move the main body portion to its Valve opening position. If a laterally directed force is required to actuate the main body portion, a laterally directed force is applied to the closure. If a vertically directed force is required to ac- -tuate the main body portion, -a vertically directed force is applied to the closure.

The force applied to the closure results in the closure being moved to an orifice-opening position in which the aperture in the arm of the closure is in register with the discharge orifice in the main body portion. The diverging surfaces on the main portion are so disposed that the ends of the closure during the movement of the closure to the orifice-opening position are continuously spread so as to further distend the device. When the opening in the closure is in register with the orifice in the main body portion, continued application of the actuating force results in the main body portion being moved to its valve opening position and in a dispensing of the product through the discharge orifice.

Upon the release of the actuating force the main body portion is moved to a valve-closing position. At the same time the closure, because of its resilient character, is moved to its normal orice-closing position in which the open end contacts to a less distended condition to relieve the stresses imposed on the closure by the spreading of the open end. Return of the closure to its normal orificeclosing position is thereby achieved automatically without requiring any special action on the part of the user of the package.

For the purpose of illustrating how the invention may be made and used, a presently preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings and will be described in detail hereinafter. This embodiment shows how the invention may be adapted for use in a pressurized package employing a vertically actuated type of valve but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to this type of valve and may be used wih other types of valves and may take specific forms different from the embodiment shown and described herein. The accompanying drawings, and the description t follow, are, accordingly, by'way of example only and are not intended to define or restrict the scope of the invention. The claims appended hereto, together with their lawful equivalents, are relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of' a pressurized package employing a valve actuator constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial, sectional view in side elevation through the pressurized package of FIG. 1 showing the parts in the nonactuated positions;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing the parts in actuated positions; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the closure for the actuator before its mounting on the main body portion.

A pressurized package equipped with a valve actuator made in accordance with the teachings of the invention is shown in FIG. 1. The package comprises a container 10, a valve 4assembly 12 secured in the mouth of the container and a valve actuator 14 mounted on the valve stem 16 of the valve assembly 12.

The container 10, which may be made from metal as shown, or from glass, plastic or any other suitable material, is partly filled with the product 18 to be dispensed. In most cases the product 18 is in liquid form as is shown but the product may also take other forms as well, such as powder or paste. A gaseous propellant fills the head space 20 in the container above the liquid level of the product 18.

An opening or mouth 22 is provided at the upper end of the container and this opening is closed off by the valve assembly 12 that serves to control the dispensing of the product from the container. The valve assembly 12 comprises a metal cup 24 with a turned over edge 26 that is crimped over the rolled edge 28 of the container 10 around the opening 22 to form a gas-tight seal therewith. At the center of the depression of the cup 24 there is a raised boss 30 which serves as a housing for the control valve for the package.

The control valve comprises a valve body 32 that is provided with a thick flange 34 at its upper end and the boss 30 on the cup 24 fit over and is turned inwardly under the flange 34 to securely mount the valve body 32 in the cup 24. An internal chamber 36 is formed in the valve body 32 and a reciprocable valve stem 38 extends inwardly into the chamber 36 through an opening 40 formed in the top surface 42 of the boss 30 on the cup 24. A spring 44 is positioned in the chamber 36 and the upper end of the spring presses against the underside of the ange 46 on the valve stem 38 to normally dispose the valve stem in its outermost, nonactuating position. In this position the upper surface 48 of the flange 46 bears against a sealing gasket 50 that serves to seal off an outlet port 52 formed in the side wall of the hollow upper end of the stem 38.

The valve body 32 is formed with a narrower tail piece 54 at its lower end and a hollow dip tube 56 is frictionally mounted on the tail piece in the usual manner. The lower end of the dip tube 56 is disposed adjacent the bottom of the container 10 and an inlet passageway 58 in the tail piece communicates the dip tube 56 with the internal chamber 36. inasmuch as the internal chamber 36 is in continuous communication 4with the body of liquid product 18 in the container 10 dispensing of the product from the container under the super-atmospheric pressure of the gaseous propellant will occur whenever the valve is opened to the atmosphere. Opening of the valve occurs whenever the valve stem 38 is vertically depressed suliiciently to bring the outlet port 52 formed therein below the scaling gasket 50 into the internal chamber 36 and the valve actuator 14 is provided on the valve stem 38 to facilitate vertical actuation of the stem.

In accordance with the teachings of t-he invention the actuator 14 comprises a main body portion 60 ya-nd a resilient closure device 62 therefor. The main body portion 60 has a recess 63 that is adapted to fit over the upper end of the hollow valve stem 38 and a discharge orifice is also provided in the actuator body. In this instance the discharge orifice comprises a central opening 64 formed in a cylindrical insert 66 that fits within a correspondingly shaped recess 68 in the actuator body 60. The central open-ing 64 communicates with a narrow chamber 70 in the main body portion 60 immediately behind the insert 66. The chamber 70, in turn, is communicated with the recess 63 for the valve stem 38 by ya lateral passageway 72. Thus, in this manner, a continuous passage is formed in the body 60 of the actuator 14 which, in conjunction with the intemal passageway 73 formed by the hollow valve stem 38, opens the valve to the atmosphere whenever 4the outlet port 52 is moved downwardly below the sealing gasket 50.

However, the discharge orifice 64 is normally closed off from the atmosphere by the closure 62 which is mounted on the bain body portion 60 of the actuator. The closure 62 comprises a member that is formed from a suitalbly resilient material, such as plastic. The closure 62 is formed with a pair of arms 74, 75 that in the unstressed condition of the member are substantially parallel Iand a erosspiece 76 at the top of the device joins the arms 74, together. By reason of this construction the configuration of the closure 62 resembles the letter U inverted. One arm 74 is longer than the other 75 and an aperture 78 is formed in this arm. Both arms 74, 75 are provided with inturned lips 80, 80 at their ends for a purpose to be described hereinafter, and grooves 82, 82 are formed -in the crosspiece to engage the finger of the user of the package during use.

The main body portion 60 and the closure 62 are adapted for the mounting of the closure on the body. To this end the body portion 60 has a pair of gnooves 84, 86 formed in opposite sides thereof. One groove 84 is formed in the face 88 of the actuator body 60 in a plane generally -penpendicular to the axis of the discharge orifice 64. This particular orientation is not essential but the orifice 64 must be located in the groove 84. A lip or shoulder 90 is formed at the bottom of the groove 84 just below the recess 68 for the insert 66. Similarly the other groove 86 is formed at the back 92 of the body portion 60. This latter groove 86, as well as the groove 84, are formed at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the valve stern 38 so that the bottoms of the grooves 84, 86 form surfaces which diverge outwardly toward the bottom of the main body portion 60. As in the ease of the groove 84, a l-ip or shoulder 94 is also rmed in the groove 86 in the Iback face 92 of the body In mounting, the arms 74, 75 of the closure 62 are spread apart so that the ends of t-he arms will lit into the grooves 84, 86 below the lips or shoulders 90, 94 therein and the -inturned lips 80, 80 on the arms 74, 75 engage the shoulders 90, 94 in the grooves 84, 86 and lock the closure onto the main body portion. IIhs is the normal position of the closure 62 relative to the body 60 and in this position the outer portion 96 of the front arm 84 seals off the discharge orifice 64 from the atmosphere.

Opening of the orifice 64 to the atmosphere is effected by pressing downwardly on the crosspiece 76, that is, pressing in a direction generally parallel to t'he longitudinal axis of the valve stem, as indicated by the arrow 98 in FIG. 3. This downward force on the closure results in the diverging surface 84, 86 on the body 60 spreading the arms 74, 75 and further distending the closure. At

the same time the aperture 78 in the arm 74 is brought 1nto reglster with the discharge orifice 64 in the main body portion 60. When this occurs, the bottom edge of the rib 100 at the undersidc of the crosspece 76 for the closure comes into engagement with the t-op surface 102 of the main body portion. Further downward movement of the closure 62 then serves to move the main body portion 60 downwardly as well. This downward movement of the actuator body 60 moves the valve stem 38 downwardly until the outlet port 52 is lbelow the sealing gasket 50. Dispensing of the prod-uct then occurs through the discharge orifice 64 and the aperture 78 in the front arm 74 of the closure 62.

When the desired -amount of .product Ihas been dispensed the user of the package shuts off the package simply by withdrawing his finger from the closure 62 and removing the actuating force thereon. The spring 44 thereupon moves the valve stem 38 outwardly until the upper surface 48 of the flange 46 butts against the sealing gasket 50 and cuts off the ow of fluid product through outlet port S2. At the same time the closure 62 springs upwardly relative to the main body port-ion 60.due to the resiliency of the material from which the closure is made. By moving upwardly the arms 74, 75 are able to contract to less distended lpositions to thereby relieve some of the stress imposed on the closure on the downward stroke. Upward movement of the arms 74, 75 is limited, however, by the shoulder 90, 94 in the grooves 84, 86 which yare engaged by the inturned ends 80, 80. In moving to this uppermost position the opening 78 is moved out of register with the discharge orifice 64 and the portion 96 again seals off the orifice from the atmosphere.

What is claimed is:

l. A self-sealing valve actuator for use -in pressurized packages wherein a product is confined within a container under the pressure of a gaseous propellant and discharge of the product from the container is controlled by a v-alve mounted thereon, said valve actuator comprising:

(A) a main body portion for mounting on the valve stem of the valve and movable relative to said pack- Iage to open the valve, said main body portion havmg (1) a discharge orifice in communication with the valve to permit the dispensing of the product therethrough when the valve is opened and 2) two diverging surfaces, and

(B) an a-pertured, open-ended, resilient closure mounted on the main body portion with said open end engaging the diverging surfaces thereon, said closure (1) being normally disposed to seal off the discharge orifice in the main body portion from the atmosphere and (2) movable upon the application of a force to the closure in the same direction required to move the main body portion to its valve-opening position, to bring the aperture in the closure into Iregister with the discharge orifice, (3) said movement causing the diverging surfaces on the main body portion to spread the' open end of the closure outwardly so that upon the withdrawal of the actuating force the resil-iency of the closure will serve to move the closure in an opposite, orifice-closing direction to a position in which said open end may contract to a less distended condition. 2. A self-sealing valve actuator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said main body portion has a recess to receive the valve stem and is movafble in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the valve stem.

3. A self-sealing valve actuator as set forth in claim 2 wherein -said diverging surfaces are positioned on opposite sides of said main body portion.

4. A self-sealing valve actuator as -set forth in claim 3 wherein said closure comprises a substantially U-shaped member having an aperture in one of the side arms of said member.

5. A self-sealing valve actuator as `set forth in claim 4 wherein said diverging surfaces 'are formed at the bottom of grooves in the main body portion.

6. A self-sealing valve actuator as set forth in claim 5 wherein said surfaces and the arms of the closure are provided with cooperating means to ylimit the movement of the closure in the orifice closing direction.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,746,653 5 1956 Cassimus 222--514 X 2,838,213 6/1958 Kinley 222-511 X 2,932,432 4/ 1960 Board 222--394 FOREIGN PATENTS 559,426 3/ 1957 Italy.

ISADOR WEIL, Primary Examiner. WILLIAM F. ODEA, Examiner. I. G. ONEILL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SELF-SEALING VALVE ACTUATOR FOR USE IN PRESSURIZED PACKAGES WHEREIN A PRODUCT IS CONFINED WITHIN A CONTAINER UNDER THE PRESSURE OF A GASEOUS PROPELLANT AND DISCHARGE OF THE PRODUCT FROM THE CONTAINER IS CONTROLLED BY A VALVE MOUNTED THEREON, SAID VALVE ACTUATOR COMPRISING: (A) A MAIN BODY PORTION FOR MOUNTING ON THE VALVE STEM OF THE VALVE AND MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID PACKAGE TO OPEN THE VALVE, THE SAID MAIN BODY PORTION HAVING (1) A DISCHARGE ORIFICE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE VALVE TO PERMIT THE DISPENSING OF THE PRODUCT THERETHROUGH WHEN THE VALVE IS OPENED AND (2) TWO DIVERGING SURFACES, AND (B) AN APERTURED, OPEN-ENDED, RESILIENT CLOSURE MOUNTED ON THE MAIN BODY PORTION WITH SAID OPEN END ENGAGING THE DIVERGING SURFACES THEREON, SAID CLOSURE (1) BEING NORMALLY DISPOSED TO SEAL OFF THE DISCHARGE ORIFICE IN THE MAIN BODY PORTION FROM THE ATMOSPHERE AND (2) MOVABLE UPON THE APPLICATION OF A FORCE TO THE CLOSURE IN THE SAME DIRECTION REQUIRED TO MOVE THE MAIN BODY PORTION TO ITS VALVE-OPENING POSITION, TO BRING THE APERTURE IN THE CLOSURE INTO REGISTER WITH THE DISCHARGE ORIFICE, (3) SAID MOVEMENT CAUSING THE DIVERGING SURFACES ON THE MAIN BODY PORTION TO SPREAD THE OPEN END OF THE CLOSURE OUTWARDLY SO THAT UPON THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE ACTUATING FORCE THE RESILIENCY OF THE CLOSURE WILL SERVE TO MOVE THE CLOSURE IN AN OPPOSITE, ORIFICE-CLOSING DIRECTION TO A POSITIN IN WHICH SAID OPEN END MAY CONTRACT TO A LESS DISTENDED CONDITION. 